lives for uniformity Bellarmine disputes to have the Service in the same Language in all the Popes Dominions for uniformities sake and what thing be it ever so absurd but may bee brought into this List Where Councels or Convocations have a minde to bee rid of those of more conscientious and uncomplying spirits tempting them by this means to that which they will call Schisme and separation they may thus easily compass their designes Ob. 6. Wee are bound by Covenant to uniformity in the Worship and Service of God and in particular to an uniformity in Catechising Answ I doe not beleeve the Covenant did or doth binde us to any thing in the Worship of God but what in conscience and prudence we were bound to practice and doe if there had been no Covenant neither are wee bound to any other uniformity but what was but even now mentioned 2 The former part of the Dispute in this Argument must bee refuted before wee can thus reason for if it bee a sinful and unwarrantable addition in the Worship of God besides or against the Word of God The Covenant cannot make a crooked thing strait Eccl. 7.13 or an evil thing good a Covenant brought in so lately cannot make voyd any branch of the Covenant God made with his Church so many hundred years before it And therefore it is added in our Covenant according to the Word of God 3 There is no Uniformity in any administration mentioned there but such as is necessary to such an end as is there also proposed namely that wee and our posterity after us may as brethren live in faith and love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us which certainly will better bee accomplished without such an external mould of conformity then with it There was faith and love and peace amongst godly Ministers when Catechismes were and were used in greatest variety 4 We are bound by the Covenant to no stricter uniformity in a Catechisme then wee are in other parts of Worship now in no part of the Directory or Worship there mentioned are we bound to method and words as appeareth evidently throughout the Directory no nor are wee bound to the Directory further then is explained in the Preface to it for that was stood upon by a considerable party in the Assembly and assented unto by the whole and mentioned in the Committee of Accommodation as a foundation of an agreement p. 4. which Preface professedly holds forth the intent of the Assembly in matters of Uniformity thus Our meaning therein being only that the general Heads the sense and scope of the Prayers and other parts of Publique Worship being knowne to all there may bee a consent of all the Churches in those things that containe the substance of the Service and Worship of God and the Ministers may bee hereby directed in their Administrations to keep like soundnesse in Doctrine and Prayer and may if need be have some help and furniture And yet so as they become not hereby slothful and negligent in stirring up the gifts of Christ in them But that each one by meditation by taking heed to himself and the Flock of God committed to him and by wise observing the wayes of Divine Providence may be carefull to furnish his heart and tongue with further or other materials of Prayer and Exhortation as shall bee needful upon all occasions 5 It is not to an uniforme Catechisme but uniformity in Catechising in the Covenant wee may be uniforme in Catechising though we use not a Catechisme the same for matter and words we may bee uniforme in preaching though we bee not bound to the same Homily the same forme of words nay though not use the same method as to preach constantly by Doctrines Reasons and Uses which is expresly asserted in the Directory for Preaching And such were the Directories of reformed Churches as before was instanced where I hope was Uniformity Yea in Scotland it self the Uniformity stands not in being held to a sameness of words Habemus quidem nos etiam in Ecclesia saith a Learned Scotch-man agendas ordinem in sacris celebrandis servandum Alex. Dâ—â— sed nemo alligatur c. proponuntur tantum ut paradgimata quib precum materia forma quo ad substantialia indecantur non ut eisdem verbis astringantur ministri totos ego tredecim annos quibus functus sum ministerio sive in Sacramenta sive in aliis sacris celebrandis precib aut Exhortationibus quae extant in agenda unquam usus sum sic etiam aliis cumplures omnibus etiam liberum idem facere That this is the use of a Directory in the reformed Churches appears in the words of Mr. Hooker in his Eccl. Pol. Wee hold it much better with the Church of Rome to appoint a prescript forme which every man shall be bound to observe then with them the reformed Churches to set downe a kinde of Directory a forme for men to use if they list or otherwise to change as it pleaseth themselves There was an uniformity in blessing the people yet if you compare Numbers 6.23 2 Cor. 12.13 2 Thess 3.17 18. Heb. 13.20 21. Jude 24 25. together you shall not finde their blessings the same for matter and words no nor in that which you call the Lords Prayer if you compare Matthew 6.9.13 Luke 11.2 3 4. Ob. 7. It may be yet further argued it will be an advantage when the younger sort remove out of one Parish into another as we finde in using the same Grammer and other Bookes it is an advantage when Children remove from one Schoole to another Ans Formes beget a forme but as they have little so work little of the power of godlinesse the scope of Ministerial instruction is not only to fasten in the Memory and accordingly by rote to repeat it thence but to beget a grounded understanding whether wee carry away the words or not if variety of Catechisms and all sound and according to the Analogie of Faith the Doctrine is the same though the words be not and if it be received with understanding wee shall acknowledge truth in what method or form of words soever wee meet with it if it be not the same but another Catechisme containing some few other truthes yet such possibly as are useful and necessary to be known as those in a former Catechisme and so a means to increase knowledge CHAP. V. The second Argument Of Christian Liberty things indifferent the particular Catechisme designed not so desirable for this use and how many wayes our Ministerial Liberty is prejudiced by the imposition of it SUch an imposition of a set Catechisme cannot bee submitted unto and our Christian Liberty preserved This was another Argument brought by our suffering Brethren against former impositions in the Worship of God in the Episcopal times How much wee ought to stand for the preservation of such a Liberty they declare from these following Scriptures Galath
that can read English can doe as well as he And in this part of his Ministry he is in the same forme with those who were rendred odious in darker times by publick Authority The Bishop shall suffer no man to bee occupied in the Ministration of the Church which calleth himself by the idle name of a Reader in the Canons of 1571. §. 5. As a sacred and more effectual means In the Service and Worship of God Actions or Methods are for the nature of them according to what is there stated c. if it bee to effect immediately a Holy or Spiritual end or to prevent the like evil as in this case it is sacred and spiritual and whatsoever thing or action of this nature enjoyned by the Civil Magistrate falleth under the first Head as before and must have clear and evident Scripture-warrant nothing makes a thing holy and sacred but the Word and nothing will serve in it self to any spiritual end but what God appoints Principles and Fundamentals may be the matter of a Sermon as well as of a Catechisme the difference is only in the method and way this method and way is termed not only an ancient and good but a pious or holy way of instructing and designed as a special means for the propagating the Gospel and to prevent the growth of Ignorance Atheisme and Heresie and all this as distinct from preaching So it is not for the truthes or the matter sake only for that may bee the same in plaine preaching but in the method and way for although the people bee instructed in the same Principles and Fundamentals by way of preaching according to the Directory yet if he doe not instruct in this method and way and words hee shall be put by his Ministry and maintenance this being the nature of the imposition and the methods or matters some of our Brethren would have imposed it cannot bee judged of as any other thing but the imposition of a sacred means of help to the Service and Worship of God the Case thus stated and explained the Negative is asserted namely the unlawfulnesse of such impositions and how great an evil it is to bring us back again under stinted forms in any kind being so happily delivered from them and from those that kept these burdens upon us And for confirmation hereof let the following reasonings without prejudice be considered of CHAP. II. The first Argument Rites and Forms that have a stated use and to spiritual ends in the worship of God ought to have Scripture warrant for their establishment § 1. ALl Methods and forms prescribed to be received as a matter of Piety and for spiritual and speciall ends and advantages in the service of God ought to have express direction and warrant out of the Word of God This is one of the great truths our brethren the Non Conformists asserted in their age against humane oppositions and sealed it by their sore and great sufferings Which they have argued against from these Scriptures Deut. 16.21 Col. 2.20.23 Exod. 20.4 Esay 1.12 Matth. 13.19 Hebrew 3.4 5 6. Matthew 28.20 And by other Scriptures also they prove that not onely what is done against or contrary to the word but also what is done besides it Deuteronomy 4.2 Deut. 12.32 Prov. 30.6 Levit. 10.1 2 Sam. 7.7 Jer. 7.31 is unwarrantable That saying of Augustine is frequently urged by them sive de Christo sive de Ecclesia sive de quacumque alia re non dico si nos sed si Angelus de coelo vobis anuntiaverit preter quam quod in Scripturis accepistis anathema sit Dr. Reynolds a learned N. Conformist avouching these words makes this observation hee saith not contra quam sed preter quam so that Augustine thinketh not onely things which are contrary to the Word to bee unlawful but even those things also which are besides the word Doctor Reynolds confer with Hart. cap. 2. And in particular against the imposing 1 A form method or an external garb or way of worship to bee held constantly and not appointed in the Word We are not to think saith Mr. Cartwright Against Whitg lib. 1. p. 26 that in the word there is onely the substance of Religion c. and those things left out which should pertain to the form and fashion of it Those saith Mr. Bradshaw that have power to make peculiar forms of Religion and worship have power to invent a Religion and worship of their own and Page 29. and 30. True worship both for matter and manner ought to bee according to the prescript rule of Gods word onely Religio est vertus voluntatis ergo ut prolatio exterior sit vera debet procedere ex intensione pertinente ad religionem Neither hath any mortal man authority to frame according to his own conceit any form or fashion of Gods service and worship for the manner of worship also must be holy and not the matter onely and no man hath power to make any thing holy that God alloweth not by his word and Spirit In the discipline of Scotland as it was set forth Anno. 1560. As the Magistrate ought not to preach catechizing is a part * So termed by the assembly in their advice for Chur. Government English po Cerem pag. 139. out of Daneus of preaching so hee ought not to prescribe any rule how it should bee done but command the Ministers to observe the rule commanded in the word And a learned Scotchman in the worship of God whether internal or external hee the Magistrate ought to move nothing prescribe nothing except that which is expresly delivered in Gods written word Nulla justa disponendi servos Dei saith Jun. in Lev. 9 ad cultum Dei ratio ab hominibus in vestigari potest nisi quam Deus prescripserit § 2. 2 A stated service of God or a help or means for the making of such service or any part of it more effectual or acceptable Medul lib. 2. cap. 4 Res illae saith Doctor Ames quae institutione singulari usibus religionis destinantur tanquam religionis instrumenta recte etiam propter statum aut relationem fixam quam habent vocantur religiosae It s the same with that another saith what is done by a Servant of God in the solemn service and worship of God by precise cannon of the Church or law of the Common-wealth is a part of divine worship Brad. 12. Arg. arg 3. and of worsh p. 47. Reasons from Scotland Thus against our set form of prayer they argued if there were never an ill word or sentence in all the prayers if it were framed all out of Scripture phrases sentences saith an another yet to use it as a set service c. though the words bee good yet the use is nought Adm. 2. par p. 55. Fresh Sute p. 211. If Christ saith Dr. Ames bee our authentique Teacher in all good that wee learn about Religion who
taught our Prelates such good manners as to put fescues of their own making into his hand and so appoint him after what manner and by what means hee shall teach us And brings this saying of Peter Martyr For as much as God is most wise hee needs not our devise for instruments to stir up faith in us which also no tradesman in his kinde would endure but would chuse to himself at his own pleasure what hee should think most fit Our brethren were offended at the Leiturgy upon this account because in the Act by which it is established you have this reason of the imposition namely to make the same prayer and fashion of service more earnest and fit to stir Christian people to the true honour of Almighty God his Majesty hath ordered the book of Common Prayer to be perused and made fully perfect Stat. 5. Ed. 6. § 3. 3 If with opinion of holinesse or necessity in the reasons given against subscription by the Ministers of Lincoln Abrid pa. 38. When opinion of necessity or holinesse is known to bee annexed either by such as impose or use them in this case it is a part of that confession which every Christian is bound to make of his religion to reject them The Church at Geneva to their brethren in England write thus humana decreta atque inventa omnia quantumvis illustrem secum splendorem persuasionemque apportent si vel verbum Dei cursum impediant vel necessitatem inferant absque omni dubitatione refringi rescindique debent It is then sacred when appropriated to some holy end or use as was said before The holy God onely and by his holy Word sanctifies and separates what hee is pleased to accept from us as holy in all our approaches before him Things appropriated to religious or spiritual persons Functions or Actions either are or ought to be religious and spiritual And therefore either are or ought to bee instituted immediately by God who alone is the Author and Institutor of all religious and spiritual actions and things whether internal or external Doctor Ames in his Pur. Anglic. cap. 1.6 What is holy must bee from God A solo Deo diximus quia ejus solius est suum cultum res cultui rebus Ceremonias omnibus ipsas Circumstantias sacrare Anon. de adiaph p. 11. And then in our esteem necessary 1 When urged in the use to bee constant and without intermission such an imposition either findes things or makes the things imposed to be so Ritibus ne accedat perpetua observatio Part 1. p. 88. Parker out of Ursinus 2 When the use of such things imposed is urged more or as much as the observation of the Lawes and Ordinances of God Link Abridg. p. 39. If those that are willing to doe all necessary services tending to the Salvation of man but cannot conforme must therefore bee turned out of Christs service Brad. 12. Arg. at 11 such Conformity is reputed necessary to Salvation When so pressed saith Master Parker that the most respected Preachers shall bee utterly cast away themselves and theirs c. How can it bee but wee must conceive that the men who bring this wrack doe hold them necessary in their judgement Mr. Par. of the Cross p. 2. cap. 2. § 19. 3 We esteeme that necessary that we judge tends to edification for edification is necessary and all things tending thereto necessitate precepti saith another §. 4. All or most of these will bee found the blame of this imposition as 1 It is by this appointment a part of the set Service of God to be performed every Lords Day in the Publick Congregation this Book to be instituted and ordained as it were by the laying on of the hands of Authority and set apart from other Books of this kind to instruct and reveale to our people the whole Truth of God necessary to Salvation it is to be a kind of Curate to officiate with us and as the mouth of God to our people A set Forme of Prayer and thus established to bee held to by all Ministers may with more reason bee pleaded for The Minister in the duty of Prayer is the mouth of the people to God in preaching or instructing as the mouth of God to the people it is now more congruous in reason that the people or their Representatives prescribe in what words he shall bee a mouth for them to God then that hee by them should bee taught and words put into his mouth when he comes as an Ambassadour and from God or in Christs stead to teach them The Bishops themselves were ashamed of their State Homilies and State Catechismes and quietly permitted the laying them aside by godly Ministers when their State Prayers were kept up in greatest severity 2 It is likewise imposed as a means or help in the Service of the Lord it is clear in those expressions a better way for the understanding of the Principles expressly designed for the propagation of the Gospel and to prevent the growth of Ignorance Atheism It is put as a fescue in the Ministers hand and must bee made use of by all without respect to what they want or have of sufficiency for the worke of the Ministry â—x necessitate faciendi non facientis which evidently speakes it a help to the Worship and not to the persons only whosoever he bee that engageth in teaching and instructing work must make use of this help or else hee must hold his peace and depart surely such a maine beam of the House such a peice of Architecture without which it cannot stand if it be set up would not have been omitted or left out by our wise Master-builder 3. As sacred and necessary the former expresse it is termed not only an ancient and good but also a pious or holy way of instructing Perpetua observatio And for the necessity it is imposed as a Rite every Lords Day to bee performed as Prayer or Preaching or reading the Scriptures not left to the discretion of the Minister at any time or upon any occasion to bee omitted With such a penalty also as if it were equally necessary as any nay as all other Ministerial duties put together For let the Minister bee ever so well qualified and diligent and faithful in all Ministerial Services appointed by Jesus Christ in relation to his Flock if ever so peaceable and desirous to submit to Superiours in all lawful Commands yet if hee scruple obedience in this he must bee thrown out of his Ministry his Wife and Children to beggery there is no Christian tender-hearted Magistrate would make such an imposition if he were not perswaded of it as a necessary help and furtherance of the Service of Christ And that it was to bee imposed as tending to edification and that not only for the matter but the very forme and way is evident not only in the title but throughout the Act. CHAP.
known but doubtfully assented to Truths nourish love no further than mutually beleeved and agreed in hence ignorance weaknesse in judgement dubiousnesse and the like or what keeps us from a clear and full cloze with truth are very prejudicial to love and intirenesse amongst brethren Truths also are either about what is of necessity and a Christians duty or what is indifferent and a Christians liberty Where these are not held distinct and weight laid upon them accordingly but matters of duty in a liberty or indifferency or things left to our liberty held to and required in our practice as necessary Herein so farre as wee divide from truth in our apprehensions in like proportion we are disposed to divide one from another in our affections Ignorance Error mis-apprehensions alienation in affections these and the like dispose us to Schisme and Divisions Aquinas 2◠2◠q. 39. yet Schisme is a sin distinct from each Wee must propria sponte intentione separare ab unitate quam CHARITAS facit before we become Schismaticks Knowingly and purposely to take up or impose that for duty which is not so or to make such things indifferent that are necessary To bee wilfully ignorant or through sluggishnesse and indisposednesse to search to take upon trust with a party and thereupon endeavour a wilfull separation and dividing from our brethren this whatsoever other thing besides it may justly bee termed Schisme And it is then most visibly and properly schism when it is a dividing where a more visible and professed union as in or from Churches as Sedition is most apparently such when it is a faction in a formed Common-wealth §. 3. These and the like Roots of Schisme lye many times secret and under ground our darknesse as well as our light may be under a bushel our infirmities and mis-apprehensions yea want of Love it self is sometimes covered with love so that differences break not forth to an open contest and professed disowning either of opinion practices of persons But when the matter of such differences falleth under an IMPOSITION Governours thinking to bring all into unity by an enforced uniformity These differences then that before were private or in a lesse compasse are scattered as it were and carried forth by the hand of these Lawes and injunctions become more publick and professed Yea what before was of infirmity and weaknesse grows up apace to wilfulnesse and stifnesse at least so judged by one of the other in the opinion of each party respectively In matters that are indifferent and granted to be so by the imposers or if necessary yet when not evidently so but doubtful and disputable let it be in Worship or Discipline there is no severity of the Civil Magistrate or Censure of the Church can reduce all no not all that are holy sober and judicious into an uniformity The experience of many years and the extremities and sufferings upon this account of many precious learned men doe sufficiently confirm it And if by such severity unity and uniformity bee not obtained divisions distractions and differences will from thence arise and grow more open and fixed by reason of such impositions And this cometh to passe many ways §. 4. ¶ I SUch matters though in themselves indifferent and arbitrary or if otherwise yet if not clearly but doubtfully so by an imposition of this nature are evidently held forth and as it were asserted to bee both clear and necessary and this hath ever been a foundation of great breaches 1 Necessary and a duty For what is imposed by wise and righteous Governours with such enforcements as if it bee not submitted unto the most necessary duties of the Ministerial Function as Preaching Sacraments c. Abridg. pag. 38. must bee omitted at least by the most tender and conscientious Ministers throughout the Nation it was so argued in the Case of Ceremonies questionlesse whatsoever shall bee so imposed Bradsh 12. Arg. arg 1 interprets it self thereby to be equally necessary with some or all these Ministerial duties And in my submission and practice in respect to such imposition I own them to be of the same necessity and there is no means to give testimony to the contrary and to what I judge the truth but by Non-Conformity and submitting rather to the penalty For where there is an opinion of necessity say our Brethren known to bee annexed unto that which in my Conscience is not so it is a part of that Confession which every Christian is bound to make of his Religion Abridgement pa. 38. to reject them and this reason for it is given by them The yeelding obedience in using such Forms or Ceremonies or what is of an indifferent nature in it self wherein others place holinesse or necessity is an occasion of confirming and hardning such Governours or others in their errours Again 2 Such a penalty as silencing or ejection implies these commands to have very clear evidence and undoubted warrant from the Scriptures at least in the opinion of the Governours that inflict it otherwise it were great injustice to require submission upon such terms He that cannot clearly know his Masters will should not be chastised with such stripes If we refuse to submit though it be out of tendernesse and fear to offend the Lord being doubtful yet such commands speaking these things not only necessary but evidently so Wee shall suffer under the reproches as our Brethren formerly did of persons that were proud Powel in his Consider wilful obstinate disobedient to Government disturbers of the Church Schismaticks and the like §. 5 Our differences being thus heightned by impositions and becoming greater by prejudice misinterpretation upon that account than what indeed they are in themselves The persons engaged are accordingly judged of and Censured and a distance kept as if they were guilty of wilful disobedience or neglect in some great and necessary matters of the Worship and Service of God and accordingly we hold off from one another and abate in affections When the foundation is removed when TRUTH hath changed its station LOVE that is built upon it must needs vary if not vanish quite away And that party which soever it is that from any consideration interprets up those lesser matters to such an odious height will bee judged by the other to be the first that declines in affection and that is the beginning of all breaches and schisms The load of that reproach was laid by the Episcopal Party on the Ministers that left their Charges who in Conscience were not able to conform Offer of Conf. p. 5 But with a great deal more reason our Brethren that suffered charged the Schisms and disturbances in the Church upon Episcopal severity and rigour of their power in keeping on and heightning penal impositions upon Ministers and taking advantage thereby to suspend some and weary others out of their places And if then such a decession of Ministers from their Churches were a Schisme the
Crime of it is most justly charged by our Brethren upon those who were the sole cause of it and not upon those who with much sadnesse and grief of heart left their stations Ch. Go. with peoples consent p. 138 They themselves speaking of the Prelates are the Schismaticks and the makers of the divisions which are now in England All wise men know that not the difference but the cause maketh a Schismatick and more fully afterwards pag. 175. The Superiour over-ruling Minister over many distinct Congregations which the Word knoweth not In truth such a one is the proper cause of dissention and Schisme for hee not willing to submit to Gods Word by his power draweth many with him whereupon followeth dissention and schisme And then he with his Company being the stronger in the world may cry out loudest against those fewer that dissent that they are Schismaticks and Peace-breakers but look to the Word of God and themselves will bee found to be the makers of the Schisme by their traditions De. Pol. l. 1. c. 37. Learned Parker bestowes a whole Chapter in proving that Episcopis non puritanis dissiaium anglicanum imputandum esse And in his Treatise of the Crosse I would saith he our opposites the Bishops were as well able to clear themselves of Schism as we are able who run within that Censure of Augustine Quicunq invident bonis ut quaerant occasiones excludendi eos aut degradandi c. Whosoever saith hee envies those that are good and seeks occasion to exclude and eject them that rather than they will leave their own faults they will devise how to raise up troubles in the Church and drive men into Conventicles these are Schismaticks though they still remain in the Church About seven or eight and twenty years since Master George Walker preached a Visitation Sermon I have cause to remember it being then suspended and put out of my Ministry by the Visitor it was upon 1 Cor. 11.16 If any man seem to be contentious c. hee declared and with much strength and evidence asserted the Imposers who being not necessitated lay such snares and not those that conscientiously shun them are the CONTENTIOUS persons For which Sermon he was articled against and molested long in the High Commission Court §. 6. These penalties and severe impositions are many times laid by the Magistrate when his Conscience is not by any Scripture-light necessitated so to doe The matters which the Scriptures have not determined precisely one way or other nor required any such determination from the Magistrate If such things bee strictly imposed and bound upon us Hee doth not leave that liberty to others though it be every mans right as well as his which hee found left to him by the Lord. And where it is thus what was arbitrary in the Imposer becomes necessary to the persons imposed upon they are necessitated either to submit or leave their places And this puts a great difference as more or lesse blameable in the parties contending when the one can plead little but his will or resolution and the other an apparent necessity Wee doe not said our suffering Brethren separate our selves from the Church Positions Archip. pa. 10. 11. or forsake the Ministry of the Gospel but are thrust from it if men driven by Excommunication out of the Church bee not Schismaticks much lesse Ministers driven by suspension and deprivation If the Prelates cannot prove from the Word the things in question may be prescribed by Authority and yeelded to by the Ministers without sin then are the Prelats Schismatical according to the judgement of the Apostle who beseecheth the Brethren to mark them diligently who cause division and differences besides the Doctrin which they have learned and avoyd them Rom. 16.17 §. 7. Breaches and Divisions secondly are continued and fixed by such impositions upon this account ¶ II. Humble reasonings about matters in difference amongst Brethren if it be with equal liberty to each is the ordinary way to reduce into peaceable union persons of different judgements But opinions or practices having obtained an establishment by Law are thereby exempted from any such Disputings or so much as being questioned in respect either to their lawfulnesse or expedience Ecclesiast Pol. p. 26. Things were disputed saith Hooker before they came to bee determined men afterwards are not to DISPVTE any longer but obey Prudentia say others non obedientis sed imperantis est it is our part to obey and not to bee so wise as to dispute what is established by power and many are the like expressions in Episcopal writings In so much as though our silenced Brethren and those of that party did all along make it their humble sute that they might have liberty and freedom in a modest and Christian way to conferre and dispute with the Prelatical party about the main and principal Controversies and differences that were betwixt them This could not bee obtained by all the friends and interest those poor men could make But upon the like reasons as are before mentioned it was constantly denied them These forms say the Prelates and Ceremonies being established by a Law ought not to bee called in question and disputed of as if they were doubtful It is presumption and arrogancy to reason against what our Superiours have done Answ the Minist of London pa. 17. For a Subject to examine the Law of his Magistrate saith another is to presume and usurp authority above his superiours The Governours themselves have ever been sufficiently against it Proclam 5º Mar. 1º Jacabi King James tells us it is necessary for them to use constancy in upholding the publick determinations of State otherwise it will become ridiculous and that the stedfast maintaining of things by publick advice established is the weal of all Common wealths Hee speaks there of Church Lawes The Canons of 1603. which were confirmed by his authority threaten thus Can. 6. Whosoever shall hereafter AFFIRM the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England by LAVV ESTABLISHED are such as being commanded by lawful authority men may not with a good conscience approve use or if occasion require subscribe unto them let him be excommunicated ipso facto Can. 7. The like for those that owne not Church-Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops c. So that when these lesser or doubtful matters come to bee established by a Law the scruples about them cannot in an ordinary way be brought to any period the one party being forbidden to declare their Consciences under as great a penalty as for the greatest Crime a man can fall into for so is Excommunication ipso facto And if hee escape this Thunderbolt from above there is a gulf provided beneath to swallow up all his livelihood Act for Uniformity the Act for Uniformity which is thus Whosoever refuseth to use the said Common Prayers c. or shall preach declare or speak any thing in the derogation of the